50 Days

50 days . . .

. . . of waiting
. . . of anticipating
. . . of relinquishing

50 days . . .

. . . of fasting
. . . of praying
. . . of surrendering

50 days.

If I am still alive 50 days from today, I will be grateful to celebrate an event that both informs and secures my faith -- the Resurrection of Jesus.

At dawn, on a Sunday over 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, a tomb was found empty and that single discovery brought fear and joy and peace and trepidation and awe to many people--so many people. The Roman officials and the Jewish leaders were afraid that their plan had gone array whereas the disciples and the multitudes who believed in Christ were rejoicing.

The Master is indeed the One.
He is the Messiah, the Anointed One!

Ever since I gave my heart away to Jesus, my Messiah, at the ripe old age of 5, Easter Sunday has been truly special to me. As a youngster, I remember counting the months, weeks, days, and hours leading up to it -- alert and expectant of the glorious celebration of the Man of sorrows rising from the tomb. That sense of anticipation and expectation grew more intense since I was also involved in plays and musicals that focused on the Passion and the Resurrection of Christ. By the time Easter Sunday came around, I was ripe and ready for it -- beaming with joy and glowing in adoration of the crowned King.

Yet as I grew older, and the plays and the musicals and whatever else were snatched away from my life, the anticipation grew increasingly less intense -- it became almost blasé and nonchalant. There was no time for preparation, no time for active remembrance of that special and faith-defining event save Holy Week, a movie about the life of Christ, and some isolated sermons. Sadly, that was my dispassionate approach to Easter for a very long time.

Then it all changed.
One word did the trick.

Lent.

"What is that?"

I remember pondering the above question in college when I heard the word lent for the first time. One positive element of attending Biola University in La Mirada, CA was the fact that it is a non-denominational school. And so, it came to be that I was communing with students who were Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and everything in between. Through our interactions, I came to appreciate the richness of Lent -- a 49-day season used to aid any willing believer to focus on the Cross, the finished work of Christ, the provision of the Father, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

As I reflect further on the benefits of Lent, I see life on earth in general as a God-designed Lent for anyone who believes in Christ. Every day I am called to participate in the active remembrance of who Christ is, what He has done for me, what He is doing on my behalf, and where He is taking me. As I am reminded by the Holy Spirit of these truths, my sense of dependence on the God-head grows and grows and grows.

So, I want to take this lenten season as a gracious opportunity to be reminded of potent truths from Scripture that point me to the Savior and prepare my heart for the glorious celebration of the King who has vanquished the grave.

Would you join me?

Let us begin tomorrow on Ash Wednesday!

Soli Deo Gloria!